31 January 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Alongside all the news and rumours on transfer deadline day, the Royals travel to Birmingham City tonight in the Championship as they look to build on a run of two league wins over Fulham and Cardiff City. Those two wins allowed Jaap Stam and his team to put behind them in a blip in form that saw them temporarily drop from third place. The Royals now find themselves back in third and eight points clear of seventh place and, with 28 games of the season played, now have to be recognised as serious play-off contenders.
New signing winger Adrian Popa, who arrived this week from Steaua Bucharest, is unlikely to be able to play as he waits for his international clearance to be confirmed. With Tiago Ilori out injured, the Royals look set to bring in Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham United to fill the gap in the centre of defence. However Oxford will also have to wait before making his debut. Liam Moore will be playing in the centre of defence but Stam has limited other options. McShane is likely to feature despite injury and Tyler Blackett will replace Joey van den Berg who failed to complete the first half against Cardiff City on Saturday.
Birmingham City are down in 12th place and in terrible form, without a win in 9 games in all competitions. Their last seven league games have returned just three points as they slipped from in the hunt for a play-off spot to midtable. Birmingham manager Gianfranco Zola finds himself under pressure to conjure up a win from somewhere and would perhaps be wishing for an easier game this evening: "In Reading, we're playing a side that plays good football and will create problems for us. So, we will have to be stronger and compact while at the same time not just go forward. It will have to be a complete performance."
| DATE | COMPETITION | OPPOSITION | SCORE | REPORT |
| 13 September 2016 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | D: 0-0 | Read report... |
| 09 April 2016 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | L: 0-2 | Read report... |
| 08 August 2015 | Championship | Birmingham (Away) | L: 1-2 | Read report... |
| 22 April 2015 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | L: 0-1 | Read report... |
| 13 December 2014 | Championship | Birmingham (Away) | L: 1-6 | Read report... |
| 22 March 2014 | Championship | Birmingham (Away) | W: 2-1 | Read report... |
| 28 September 2013 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | W: 2-0 | Read report... |
| 28 April 2012 | Championship | Birmingham (Away) | L: 0-2 | Read report... |
| 06 November 2011 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | W: 1-0 | Read report... |
| 03 May 2009 | Championship | Birmingham (HOME) | L: 1-2 | Read report... |
| 20 December 2008 | Championship | Birmingham (Away) | W: 3-1 | Read report... |
| 22 March 2008 | Premiership | Birmingham (HOME) | W: 2-1 | Read report... |
| 15 December 2007 | Premiership | Birmingham (Away) | D: 1-1 | Read report... |
| 27 January 2007 | FA Cup | Birmingham (Away) | W: 3-2 | Read report... |
| 07 February 2006 | FA Cup | Birmingham (Away) | L: 1-2 | Read report... |
| 28 January 2006 | FA Cup | Birmingham (HOME) | D: 1-1 | Read report... |
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